BRADENTON — A Bradenton man was charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure Wednesday after a neighbor’s water heater was taken, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

George Gray, 59, was spotted taking a small water heater sitting by his next-door neighbor’s carport at 10:56 a.m. Wednesday, according to a news release. Gray reportedly brought the water heater toward his vehicle parked at his residence.

The neighbor confronted Gray, who returned the water heater.

Gray reportedly said he was trying to help his neighbors avoid a possible county fine if a permit was not pulled to replace the water heater. Gray said his neighbors had been gone for a month.